With mutual ardour join'd,

No turtles e'er fo kind,

So conftant, and fo true.

They hopp'd from spray to spray,
They bill'd, they chirp'd all day,
They cuddled clofe all night;
To blifs they wak'd each morn,
In every bush and thorn,

Gay scenes of new delight.

At length the fowler came,
(The knave was much to blame)
And this dear pair trepann'd ; '
Both in one cage confin'd,

Why, faith and troth, 'twas kind;
Nay, hold-that must be scann'd.

Fair liberty thus gone,

And one coop'd up with one,

Twas aukward, new, and ftrange;

For better and for worse,

O difmal, fatal curfe!

No more abroad to range.

No carols now they fing,
Each droops his little wing,
And mourns his cruel fate:
Clouds on each brow appear,
My honey, and my dear,
Is now quite out of date.

They

They pine, lament, and moan,
'Twould melt an heart of stone,
To hear their fad complaint:
Nor he fupply'd her wants,
Nor the refrain'd from taunts,
That might provoke a faint.

Hard words improve to blows,
For now, grown mortal foes,

They peck, they fcratch, they scream;

The cage lies on the floor,

The wires are ftain'd with gore,

It fwells into a stream.

Dear Kitty, would you know
The caufe of all this woe,
It is not hard to guefs;
Whatever does constrain,
Turns pleasure into pain,

'Tis Choice alone can blefs.

When both no more are free,
Infipid I must be,

charms;

And you lofe all your
My fmother'd paffion dies,
And even your bright eyes,
Neceffity difarms.

Then let us love, my fair,
But unconstrain'd as air,
Each join a willing heart;

Let

Let free-born fouls difdain

To wear a tyrant's chain,

And act a nobler part.

FAB

THE TWO

L E XII.

SPRING S.

Errat longè meâ quidem fententiâ

"Qui imperium credat gravius effe aut stabilius "Vi quod fit, quàm illud quod amicitiâ adjungitur."

T

WO fifter fprings, from the fame
Born on the fame propitious day,
Through the cleft rock distil :

parent hill,

Adown the reverend mountain's fide,
Through groves of myrtle glide,
Or through the violet beds obliquely ftray.
The laurel, each proud victor's crown,
From them receives her high renown,
From them the curling vine

Her clusters big with racy wine,
To them her oil the peaceful olive owes,
And her vermilion blush the rofe.

The gracious streams in smooth meanders flow,
To every thirsty root dispense

Their kindly cooling influence,

And Paradife adorns the mountain's brow.

But oh! the fad effect of pride!

TER.

These happy twins at last divide.

** Sifter

"Sifter (exclaims th' ambitious spring) "What profit do these labours bring ? "Always to give, and never to enjoy, "A fruitless and a mean employ ! "Stay here inglorious if you please, "And loiter out a life of indolence and ease: "Go, humble drudge, each thistle rear, "And nurfe each fhrub, your daily care, "While, pouring down from this my lofty fource, "I deluge all the plain,

“ No dams shall stop my course, "And rocks oppose in vain.

"See where my foaming billows flow,

“Above the hills my waves aspire,

"The fhepherds and their flocks retire,

"And tallest cedars as they pafs in fign of homage bow.

"To me each tributary spring

"Its fupplemental stores shall bring, "With me the rivers fhall unite,

"The lakes beneath my banners fight,

"Till the proud Danube and the Rhine

"Shall own their fame eclips'd by mine ;

"Both Gods and men shall dread my watery sway, "Nor these in cities fafe, nor in their temples they."

Away the haughty boaster flew

Scarce bade her fifter ftream a cool adieu,
Her waves grow turbulent and bold,

Not gently murmuring as of old,

But

But roughly dash against the shore,

And tofs their fpumy heads, and proudly roar.
The careful farmer with furprize,

Sees the tumultuous torrent rife;

With bufy looks the ruftic band appear,

To guard their growing hopes, the promise of the year. All hands unite, with dams they bound

The rafh rebellious ftream around;

In vain the foams, in vain fhe raves,
In vain the curls her feeble waves,
Befieg'd at last on every fide,

Her fource exhausted and her channel dry'd,
(Such is the fate of impotence and pride!)
A fhallow pond she stands confin'd,
The refuge of the croaking kind.
Rushes and fags, an inbred foe,

Choak up the muddy pool below;
The tyrant fun on high

Exacts his usual subsidy ;

And the poor pittance that remains,
Each gaping cranny drains.

Too late the fool repents her haughty boast,
A nameless nothing, in oblivion lost.

Her fifter fpring, benevolent and kind,
With joy fees all around her bleft,
The good she does, into her generous mind
Returns again with interest.

The farmer oft invokes her aid

When Sirius nips the tender blade;

Her